Reviewer: Samantha
I received a review copy
Summary:
It’s a simple exchange; but it changes everything. “This is my card,” he said. “You call me whenever you need to.” A saucy romp through the nation’s capital is the most entertaining way yet to take the topic of starving artistry to a practical, raw level. Maybe in the old days they had it right: if you want to make pure, quality art, what you need is a patron.
Two nights ago, in the wake of her father’s fatal diagnosis, Joanie Price told her husband she was leaving him in a Connecticut PC Richards, drove without a plan to DC, and didn’t tell a soul. Her husband proceeded to empty the bank accounts.
“Have you thought of how many men would enjoy your company in this town?”
And so it begins. Compulsively readable, it’s wickedly enjoyable to see ourselves in Joanie’s shoes, and as we do, her erotic experiment hurtles us through a story of self-discovery that’s transformative, witty and enduring.
Review:
I have read others by Daniella Brodsky, though I knew simply from the cover and synopsis this would be pretty different from Princess of Park Avenue and Diary of a Working Girl. From the first few pages that was made pretty clear, as this book has a serious and more mature subject matter. Joanie is in the process of leaving her husband and turns to a different lifestyle – filled with sex, multiple men, and lavish gifts for her services. I struggled from the beginning to form a connection with Joanie. Sure our lifestyles are not similar, but something just felt off to me the whole time with her. The chapters and sections are also quite long, which in turn made this read at a slower pace for me. There is a lot of politics intermingled throughout the book, and I didn’t quite see the significance of that minor plot point. It was still a very interesting read and one that I thought could be quite thought-provoking, I just had a hard time keeping my attention focused on the book. I do love Brodsky’s other, lighter offerings though, and I hope to read more of those soon!
3 stars
